SHC seeks reply over exorbitant fees being charged by private schools

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday sought reply from private schools administration and director private schools till September 25, in a case related to exorbitant fees charges, ARY News reported.

At the outset of the hearing, the SHC bench showed its resentment over the administration of the private schools association and director private schools over failing to control over exorbitant fees being charged from the parents despite court’s orders.

The court has directed the aforesaid parties to submit their response in the case.

At the last hearing of the case on August 19, the SHC had ordered action against schools raising the fee by more than five per cent.

The ruling was passed by the Sindh High Court while hearing a contempt of court plea filed by the parents against schools raising more than 5 per cent fee despite court’s orders.

The SHC bench had said the Supreme Court had made it clear that the five per cent increase in the school fee would be implemented by June 2017.

The bench ordered schools to return extra money charged from the parents in this regard.

Apprising the court the additional advocate general had said, the government has issued notices to the schools. “Action will be initiated soon against the schools found violating the court orders.”

On Dec 13 last year, the then Chief Justice Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar ordered all private schools across Pakistan to cut down their fees while instructing Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to freeze the accounts of at least two schools.